Single insulator vertical reach switch



Nov. 21, 1961 J. A. TURGEON 3,009,995

SINGLE INSULATOR VERTICAL REACH SWITCH Filed Aug. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l a? 7 7 5/ Z I 5 Z IN VENTOR. JOJ'EPH ,4! 65?? TVKGEO/V Nov. 21, 1961 J. A. TURGEON 3,009,995

SINGLE INSULATOR VERTICAL REACH SWITCH Filed Aug. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ars/ A2 2??? 6504 United States 3,009,995 SINGLE ENSULATOR VERTICAL REACH WITCH Joseph Albert Turgeon, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to Eastern Power Devices Limited, Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, a company of Canada Filed Aug. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 754,640 Claims. (Cl. 200- 18) This application relates generally to high voltage line disconnecting switches and is an improvement of the vertical reach disconnecting switch described in my US. Patent 2,774,832 entitled High Tension Disconnecting Switch, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention.

In the device of my aforesaid patent a heavy rigid insulator column as well as a lightweight rotatable insulator column are included, with the rotatable insulator having the foldable vertical reach blade mounted to the upper end thereof. The heavy rigid insulator provides a stabilizing means for counteracting the torque produced by the switch operating forces.

The device of the instant invention includes a foldable vertical reach blade supported and operated by a rotatable insulator column. However, the rigid insulator of the patent device has been eliminated and the stabilizing means is provided by the lower bus.

This arrangement is simple, economical, and saves space. That is, even in the prior ant arrangement the lower bus is at a level corresponding to the top of the rotatable insulator column and the lower bus is rigidly positioned. Thus the old position and rigid mounting of the lower bus are used to advantage to enable the rigid insulator to be eliminated. The elimination of the insulator represents a considerable saving in cost, since this unit was often ten or more feet high, and also makes additional ground space available with an accompanying reduction in foundation costs.

Accordingly, a primary object of the instant invention is to provide a simple, economical, and space saving high voltage disconnect switch.

Still another object is to provide a novel vertical reach switch having a single insulator for operating and supporting the foldable switch blade.

A further object is to provide a novel vertical reach switch operated by a rotatable insulator and utilizing the lower bus as a means for counteracting the torque produced by the switch operating forces.

These as well as other objects of the instant invention shall become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the switch in the closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view showing the switch of FIGURE 1 in the open position.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken through line 3- 3 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of arrows 3-3.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken through line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of arrows 4 4.

Vertical reach switch includes a jack-knife blade 11 which is adapted to electrically connect lower bus 12 to upper bus 13, disposed at right angles to one another. Switch 10 is supported on a steel post 14 extending upwardly fro-m plate 15 which is secured by fastening means 16 to concrete base 17. Triangular plates 18 providing bracing between post 14 and plate 15.

Bracket means 19 is rigidly secured to the top end of post 14 in any suitable fashion. Gear box 20, mounted to the top of bracket 19, includes an input shaft 21 and an output shaft 22. In put shaft 21 is connected through universal joint 23 to hand wheel shaft 24 which is journaled in an opening through bracket 25 extending from post 14. Hand-wheel 26 is mounted to the free end of shaft 24. Thus, a rotation of hand-wheel 26 is transmitted through gear box 20 to appear as a rotation of output shaft 22.

Output shaft 22 is rigidly secured to the lower end of rotatable insulator column or stack 27 Whose upper end is provided with a stub shaft 28. Stub shaft 28 extends into, and is supported by, the switch operating mechanism 29 which is of the type fully described in my aforesaid Patent 2,774,832. Mechanism 29 comprises a member 30 including a central portion 31 having a vertical opening (not shown) into which stub shaft 28 extends. Member 30 also includes two clamps 32, 33 having aligned horizontal openings 34, 35, respectively. Openings 34, 35 are horizontally offset from the centerline of insulator stack 27 and are adapted to receive lower bus 12. The upper portions of clamps 32, 33 are secured to the lower portions thereof by means of screw type fasteners 36 which provide means for firmly securing member 30 to lower bus 12 in good electrical contact therewith.

Blade 11 includes a short hollow section 40 at the lower end thereof which is pivotally secured at 41 to upper long blade section 42. The lower end of section 40 is rigidly secured to the movable housing section 43 of the operating mechanism 29. Housing section 43 partially encloses the stationary housing section 44 of mechanism 29 which is rigidly secured to member 30. The upper end 45 of long section 42 is engage-able with stationary contact assembly 46 which is clamped by means of fasteners 47 to upper bus 13.

Stationary contact assembly 46 includes two horizontally extending arms 48 and arm 49 which extend vertically downward. Stabilizing steel cables 50 are adapted to pass through end openings 51 of arms 48, 49 as cables 59 extend between the vertical bus support members (not shown) thereby mechanically supporting the upper bus bar 13. Contact fingers 5356, arranged in two vertical rows, are secured to arm 49 near the lower end thereof. A wide mouthed guide member 57 is horizontally positioned between the contact fingers of each row.

The end portion 45 of blade section 42 which engages contact fingers 53-56 is preferably of oval or eliptical cross-section. When switch 10 is operated from the Off position indicated in the solid lines of FIGURE 2 to the On position of FIGURE 1, mechanism 29.first extends blade sections 46, 42 from the jack-knife position wherein blade sections 49, 42 are substantially horizontal, to an extended straight position with the blade 11 extending vertically upward. The end 45 of switch blade 11 ent ers stationary contact assembly 46 between the rows of contact fingers 53-56 with the minor axis of the oval being positioned perpendicularly to the plane through which the blade sections 40, 42 have traveled in reaching their extended position. Thereafter, mechanism 29 imparts a rotational movement to switch blade 11 about the vertical axis 58 thereof until the major axis'of tip 45 is rotated through and the contact fingers 53-56 firmly engage the end 45 of switch blade 11 thereby forming a good electrical contact.

which both supports and transmits operating power to switch blade 11. A portion of the switch operating mechanism 29 is rigidly secured to the lower bus 12 which is positioned at the top end of the insulator stack 27. In this manner, lower bus 12 provides a stabilizing means which counteracts the torque created by the switch operating forces originating at wheel 26.

While switch blade 11 has been illustrated as comprising jack-knife sections 40, 42 and operating mechanism 29 of the type described in my aforesaid US. Patent 2,774,832 it is to be understood that the teachings of this application may be adapted equally well to a vertical reach switch wherein the switch blade 11 comprises a single pivoted member of the type fully described in my copending U.S. application, (EP-9) Serial No. 620,968 filed November 1, 1956, entitled Disconnecting Switch.

Although I have here described a preferred embodiment of my novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I therefore prefer to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

I claim:

1. A high voltage disconnect switch adapted for electrically connecting a first bus to a second bus positioned thereabove; said switch being comprised of vertically extending insulator means, an operating means, and an elongated switch blade; said insulator means being rotatable about its vertical axis and having the upper end thereof entered through an opening in a housing member of said operating means into operative engagement with said operating means whereby rotation of said insulator means is effective to actuate said operating means for moving said switch between an open and a closed position; said insulator means being the sole means of supporting said switch blade; said blade being mounted at a first end thereof to said operating means for rotation about a horizontal axis; a second end of said blade being in engagement with said second bus when said switch is in said closed position; said operating means housing member including means rigidly securing said member to said first bus whereby said bus is eifective to counteract the torque accompanying rotation of said insulator means to actuate said operating means.

2. A high voltage disconnect switch adapted for electrically connecting a first bus to a second bus positioned thereabove; said switch being comprised of vertically extending insulator means, an operating means, and an elongated switch blade; said insulator means being rotatable about its vertical axis and having the upper end thereof entered through an opening in a housing member of said operating means into operative engagement with said operating means whereby rotation of said insulator means is effective to actuate said operating means for moving said switch between an open and a closed position; said insulator means being the sole means of supporting said switch blade; said blade being mounted at a first end thereof to said operating means for rotation about a horizontal axis; a second end of said blade being in engagement with said second bus when said switch is in said closed position; said operating means housing member including means rigidly securing said member to said first bus whereby said bus is effective to counteract the torque accompanying rotation of said insulator means to actuate said operating means; said insulator means comprising a single elongated insulator column.

3. A high voltage disconnect switch adapted for electrically connecting a first bus to a second bus positioned thereabove; said switch being comprised of vertically extending insulator means, an operating means, and an elongated switch blade; said insulator means being rotatable about its vertical axis and having the upper end thereof entered through an opening in a housing member of said operating means into operative engagement with said operating means whereby rotation of said insulator means is effective to actuate said operating means for moving said switch between an open and a closed position; said insulator means being the sole means of supporting said switch blade; said blade being mounted at a first end thereof to said operating means for rotation about a horizontal axis; a second end of said blade being in engagement with said second bus when said switch is in said closed position; said operating means housing member including means rigidly securing said member to said first bus whereby said bus is efiective to counteract the torque accompanying rotation of said insulator means to actuate operating means, said insulator means comprising a single elongated insulator column; at least a portion of said blade, which is vertically positioned when said switch is in said closed position, being positioned in a substantially horizontal plane when said switch is in said open position.

4. A high voltage disconnect switch adapted for electrically connecting a first bus to a second bus positioned thereabove; said switch being com-prised of vertically extending insulator means, an operating means, and an elongated switch blade; sai'd insulator means being rotat able about its vertical axis and having the upper end thereof entered through an opening in a housing member of said operating means whereby rotation of said insulator means is effective to actuate said operating means for moving said switch between an open and a closed position; said insulator means being the sole means of supporting said switch blade; said blade being mounted at a first end thereof to said operating means for rotation about a horizontal axis; a second end of said blade being in engagement with said second bus when said switch is in said closed position; said operating means housing member including means rigidly securing said member to said first bus whereby said bus is effective to counteract the torque accompanying rotation of said insulator means comprising a single elongated insulator column; at least a portion of said blade, which is vertically positioned when said switch is in said closed position, being positioned in a substantially horizontal plane when said switch is in said open position; said blade second end having a cross-section with a major and a minor axis; said second bus having a pair of spaced contact fingers mounted thereto; said operating means being constructed to initially rotate said blade about said horizontal axis into engagement with said second bus and thereafter rotate said blade about its longitudinal axis until said contact fingers engage said blade at opposite ends of said major axis when said switch is being operated from said open to said closed position.

5. A high voltage disconnect switch adapted for electrically connecting a first bus to a second bus positioned thereabove; said switch being comprised of vertically extending insulator means, an operating means, and an elongated switch blade; said insulator means being rotatable about its vertical axis and having the upper end thereof entered through an opening in a housing member of said operating means whereby rotation of said insulator means is efiective to actuate said operating means for moving said switch between an open and a closed position; said insulator means being the sole means of supporting said switch blade; said blade being mounted at a first end thereof to said operating means for rotation about a horizontal axis; a second end of said blade being in engagement with said second bus when said switch is in said closed position; said operating means housing member including means rigidly securing said member to said first bus whereby said bus is effective to counteract the torque accompanying rotationof said insulator means comprising a single elongated insulator column; at least a portion of said blade, which is vertically positioned when said switch is in said closed position, being positioned in a substantially horizontal plane when said switch is in said open position; said blade second end having a crosssection with a major and a minor axis; said second bus end of said insulator and operatively connected for imhaving a pair of spaced contact fingers mounted thereto; parting rotation thereto.

said operating means being constructed to initially rotate said blade about said horizontal axis into engagement References Cited in the file of this patent with said second bus and thereafter rotate said blade 5 about its longitudinal axis until said contact fingers en- UNITED STATES PATENTS gage said blade at opposite ends of said major axis when 2,717,287 Sihler et a1. Sept. 6, 1955 said switch is being operated from said open to said closed 2,774,832 Turgeon Dec. 18, 1956 position; hand operated means positioned at the lower 2,830,145 Killian Apr. 8, 1958 

